Morphological, Linear and Geometric Morphometric Differences of Anatolian Sorex (Mammalia: Soricidae) Species

Abstract

The taxonomic complexity of Sorex species is largely due to their morphological similarity. The different approaches used in taxonomic studies have both advantages and disadvantages. In this study, Sorex volnuchini, Sorex raddei and Sorex satunini specimens were compared using morphological features (molar teeth), mechanical potential (bite force), linear morphometric and geometric morphometric analysis. No pigmentation was detected in the hypoconic region of the first upper molar in the samples of S. volnuchini. In contrast, the pigmentation in the hypoconic region showed variability in the samples of S. raddei and S. satunini. In linear morphometric analyses, the linear measurement results of craniodental and mandibular characters for S. raddei and S. satunini overlapped many characters. However, regarding linear measurements, S. volnuchini was separated from these species (p < 0.01). Based on both linear morphometrics and centroid size (geometric morphometrics), it was determined that S. volnuchini was smaller than other the Sorex species, and similarly, it was also determined that S. volnuchini had a lower bite force (mechanical potential) than other Sorex species. There was no correlation between bite force and centroid size (CS) within the species. However, pairwise comparisons determined a statistically significant difference among the species. The Jackknifed classification rate was over 92 % in linear morphometric analysis. As a result of geometric morphometric analysis, the order of the centroid size for the skull (ventral and dorsal) and the mandible was Neomys milleri > S. raddei > S. satunini > Sorex volncuhini. No significant difference was found between S. raddei and S. satunini in centroid size for only dorsal skull. Allometric growth, which varies in shape with size, was not observed in the skull (ventral and dorsal) and mandible. N. milleri, S. raddei, S. satunini and S. volnuchini differed according to the Procrustes and Mahalanobis distance (p < 0.05). Three dendrograms of morphological (ventral and dorsal skull, mandible) proximity showed a similar topology.